The mighty Indus River is a lifeline for the 268 million people who inhabit the river basin, which includes parts of Afghanistan, China, India, and Pakistan. The basin is composed of mountainous areas of the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalaya. The Indus River is a major source of water for drinking, household use, irrigation, and energy production in the region. Despite its critical role in sustaining life in the basin, the state of knowledge on the Indus remains far from adequate. Knowledge of key aspects of the river, and information on the effects of climate change on regional rainfall patterns and water balance and snow cover are either confined to academic circles or exist in scattered forms.

Realizing this, we started the Indus Basin Initiative in 2013 with the goal of improving understanding of climate change, cryosphere, and water resources and strengthening networks for developing water- and hazard-management solutions in the Indus basin. We work to generate and share knowledge of water–energy–food issues and to build climate resilience in the four basin countries. We also carry out dialogue and advocacy to promote regional cooperation in the HKH.